


Beauty and the Galian Beast

by IvvyQueen



Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: F/M, More characters might be added as the story progresses
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-11
Packaged: 2020-11-22 04:16:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20868053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IvvyQueen/pseuds/IvvyQueen
Summary: Yuffie Kisaragi always seeked the idea of a more stimulating life outside of the conformity and quietness of Wutai, but never like this, never planned to be married off or inheriting her father's company. Escaping might just do the trick for the time being, but what consequences will this bring into her life? And who will she encounter that might turn it all upside down?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my retelling of the Beauty and the Beast classic, with no one other than our favorite ninja and our beloved broody vampire. No need to say who is gonna be who, right? 
> 
> **Disclaimer: I do not own FF7, or any of the characters here present. This is just a work for fun and I gain nothing from posting it.**

Boring days filled a boring dynasty, Yuffie couldn’t remember the last time her eyes did not roll or her mouth didn’t let a sigh escape when always the same people walked by her on the streets. The same master going inside the same school, the same wives buying the food from the Sunday market, even the same children playing down the street opposite of her.

Eyes always judged her from the windows, mostly from the older women of her street, her usual attire consisted of the black bandanna wrapped around her head, a blue top over a black, sleeveless blouse that reached her navel, beige shorts and knee-high black boots. She kept her arms bandaged from her palms until above her elbows, along with her thighs, but never carried her weapon unless she had to head out or train.

Her steps trailed even the same boring path down to the library, the only place she didn’t consider as dull as the rest of the decaying nation. ‘‘Good morning, Mrs. Goodwin’’, she greeted the old librarian, who gladly returned it with smile as the first golden rays of the sun shone through the windows.

‘‘You’re here earlier than usual, Lady Kisaragi.’’ She walked up to the young woman, Yuffie’s brown eyes scanned through the covers to find whatever could keep her interested, instead of having to red through more business reports to help her dad out. Be it a new book, an old one or even reports of new materia findings, she just wanted to be able to escape reality for a while.

‘‘My father requested my presence earlier than usual, so I thought I could come by before that and see if you had anything new.’’ 

‘‘Well, there are reports of new materia found outside of Wutai, and a compilation of unknown tales was-’’ Yuffie’s eyes lit up and hurried to find the reports, and the older woman, who struggled to keep up with the youth’s enthusiasm, chuckled softly at the sight.

‘‘You love those reports more than anything, you can take this one if you want.’’ She insisted and patted the young woman’s back, to which her body perked up and turned to Mrs. Goodwin.

‘‘Are you sure, Mrs. Goodwin?’’ Her fingers held tight to the papers, and she felt her heart jump of joy when the librarian nodded.

‘‘Oh, thank you Mrs. Goodwin! I promise I’ll treasure this forever!’’ She beamed and squeezed the older woman in a tightly careful hug. After paying what she thought was the best for such a gift, she hurried back to her home and decided to spend the next hour with her newly acquired document. 

Every reunion with her father, Godo, was always dreadful at best. If it wasn’t him scolding her (and vice versa), it was an uncomfortable talk on how she had to take responsibility as the future empress of Wutai, a role she was well prepared for, yet had no interest in. _I must keep this from my father_, she thought as she made her way back inside, slipping past the guards and into her bedroom, locking the reports away in a treasure chest. She fixed her black, neck-length hair, and made way to the main room

She was stranged to hear laughter instead of dead silence, and walked inside only to find her father, who would usually just bore her with his voice, drinking light with another man in his age range, who sported a flashy purple coat on top of a simple white shirt and black trousers, jewelry and not enough blonde hair to cover his balding head. She coughed to get their attention, and both men turned to see the young woman standing by the entrance.

‘‘Ah, I’m glad you’re finally here, Yuffie.’’ Godo’s voice turned a little sour in comparison to how it was less than thirty seconds ago. He tried to get her to sit down, but she refused and crossed her arms, not giving him a chance to grasp onto them.

‘‘I came here because you wanted to speak to me about something, please cut it short and tell me what it is.’’ She did not want to deal with her father on the usual, and she did not want to deal with him when he was tipsy.

‘‘Well, your 20th birthday was more than a month ago, so I would like to present you to Don Corneo, he’s a very good friend of the family, and a very rich businessman from Midgar,’’ Godo gestured to the man sitting to his right and took a deep breath before continuing ‘‘As well as your future husband.’’

Her mouth turned dry and all blood from her face rushed to her fist, nails digging in her palm’s skin. Don Corneo’s stare sent shivers down her spine, it took her moments to notice he had stood up until he took her hand into his and planted a kiss, she wanted to vomit out at such a gross touch. 

She had heard of him before, he owned a few of the biggest machine factories and a popular club in Midgar. If someone knew how to thrive was Don Corneo, there were rumors he played dirty, he tricked and fooled his way around businesses until he could get his hands on them. In all fairness, no one seemed to care enough to do something about it.

Midgar however, was a promising city that was rapidly growing thanks to all the new machines being invented every day, it looked almost futuristic. She couldn’t find any appeal on how the sky always seemed grey and how the rain never stopped, the same way she couldn’t find it in a nation that was once filled with color not because of its structures, but because of its people.

‘‘No…’’ She pulled her hand away and backed up with careful steps. ‘‘No! You think you can come and decide who will be my spouse now?!’’ She lashed out and spit the words like venom. Corneo watched how Godo tried to approach her with care as his advances had been rejected, hiding his rage behind a fake smile.

‘‘My dear, please be considerate, if not now, when? You need to marry before you take over my place…’’ His reasoning fell on deaf ears, she was not going to let herself be handled around anymore. Shaking her head, she turned her back and stormed out, leaving his father short of words to apologize to Don Corneo, who instead let out a belly laugh.

‘‘Don’t worry old friend, she will come to her senses if you let her warm up to the idea first. Besides, I like my wives feisty!’’ He wrapped his arm around the other man’s shoulders, shaking him a little to alleviate his embarrassment and worries, making sure he was nudged back to the table to keep on drinking.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------

‘‘Can you believe this utter crap?!’’ Her voice echoed through the stable, forcing her feet to keep on moving instead of kicking the vegetables and fruits around, she had nothing but a squawk back from her listener, a young pink Chocobo who just munched and strutted around her to eat the food she had knocked down in her rage.

‘‘And that, that disgusting _creep_ could easily be my father! I will never be able to wash off that damned kiss from my hand!’’ Her voice just projected louder, she tugged on the giant bird’s leash and lead it back inside its stable room.

Her lips quivered and she paced back and forth, _what am I going to do now?_, she knew if she stayed eventually she’d have to marry Corneo, and it’s not like there was anyone she could ask to pretend to have a relationship with either. There was no choice left, except escaping from her land of Wutai, her home and everything she once knew.

Multiple thoughts crossed her mind as she packed her bags, best weaponry and armor. She waited till midnight struck and, cladded with her white moguri cape, which concealed every distinguishable trait of herself, jumped out the pagoda. She thanked her extensive training for her perfect landing.

Pulling the leash of the same young Chocobo she had ranted to earlier, she gently stroke down its head feathers. ‘‘Seems like it’s just you and me, buddy.’’ Her eyes scanned the horizon from the edge of Wutai, if she planned to escape she’d have to make her tracks disappear.

Her eyes locked on the woods down the valley, a river ran south of it, she knew it like the palm of her hand and it was so easy to get lost inside of it, it would be too dangerous to send anyone to look for her.

She hopped onto the Chocobo’s back and rode it down the rocky path, her heart hesitated at first, but there was no going back now in her mind. It was either this or a life of submission, and the choice was clear now.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We don't choose which family we're born into, but we can choose to make our very own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer: I do not own FF7, or any of the characters here present. This is just a work for fun and I gain nothing from posting it.**

The thunderstorm was making every step she took harder than the last one, she could barely see past her nose if she tried to lift her gaze, and it didn’t help that her Chocobo had ran away terrified. The giant birds were not meant for such aggressive conditions, so it made sense it tried to save itself and abandoned its owner.

Days had passed and no one had spotted her or found a trail of her whereabouts, the storm would be even more beneficial to keep her hidden but she had to find shelter soon, as it wasn’t in her plans to be wiped out by some measly storm.

Yuffie’s eyes shifted to a path she had not seen before, she would have time to think why she didn’t notice it previously another moment, for now she just ran towards it and scanned the area for shelter. She stopped in front of a giant gate that circled what seemed like a castle frozen in time, hidden away from everyone as it dwelled deeper in the forest than anyone with common sense would go in.

Her first instinct was to jump above the gate and run to the entrance, her hand balled up in a fist to knock but the doors were not locked, to her surprise. Carefully, she stepped inside and removed her soaked and dripping-wet cloak from herself.

‘‘Hello? Is anyone in here?’’ She called out, with no response. She walked around to try and find someone while she kept calling for them, if there was any _them_ to begin with. ‘‘I-I need a place to stay for the night! Is it okay if I stay?...’’ She turned back to close the door and again, no response. _Perhaps it’s abandoned?_, she thought, but it didn’t feel like it one bit, everything was in pristine condition as far as she had seen.

Unknown to her, a few sets of eyes were watching her from the halls. ‘‘What should we do?..’’ One of the figures whispered to the group, his bright blue eyes locked on the young woman who was slowly figuring her way around while she tried to dry herself. 

‘‘Should we tell Vincent?’’ A woman now, with dark brown hair and chocolate eyes, suggested, and she was met with pondering stares, ‘‘She could be _the one_, Cloud.’’ 

‘‘Yes Tifa, but we don’t want to scare her off-’' 

‘‘Shush, ya two!’’ Another figure joined them and moved above them to take a closer look. He was older than the other two, with dirty blonde hair that was going white, a stubble and faded blue eyes. ‘‘Aeris’ report on Vincent is the same as usual, we cannot bring her to him right away!’’ 

‘‘Then what do you suggest, Cid?’’ The biggest of the group, an incredibly muscular man with dark skin, military-cut black hair and deep brown eyes, snapped a little, frustrated with no solution being accepted. 

‘‘What if ya pretty lil’ daughter greets her? Marlene is good at that.’’ 

‘‘Cid’s right, Barret’’ Aeris, the woman mentioned before, had arrived to join the group in their little spying session. She had lighter brown hair and soft jade eyes. She patted the older man’s shoulder and supported herself on him. 

‘‘Okay fine, I’ll go bring Marlene and- what is she doing?!’’ Barret’s voice made them realize Yuffie was now walking up the stairs and was about to spot them. Their bodies allowed them to turn invisible right before she ran through each of them. They tried to catch her without getting spotted, but their efforts ran short as heavy footsteps could be heard just around the corner. 

Yuffie stopped dead in her tracks when she heard them, and she reached slowly for her giant 4-point shuriken. The long hall was not illuminated enough past where she stopped, and she could not make sense of the figure she was now sure, was standing a few feet away from her. 

‘‘Who are you? How did you get in here?’’ The figure asked, his voice was deep and raspy, but not as scary as she expected. 

‘‘I’m.. Yuffie Kisaragi, and you are?’’ Her hand did not move from her weapon, her body almost touching the wall behind her. 

‘‘Vincent, and you still haven’t answered my second question.’’ 

‘‘I need a place to stay and I just ran into your castle.. I escaped from home and I can’t go back.’’ She tried to appeal to his human side, he stepped closer and she was able to make out how tall he was, a little over 7 feet. She gulped but stood her ground. 

‘‘You may stay.. for one night,’’ He turned his back on her and tried to walk away, she wasn’t going to allow it and stepped closer. ‘‘Let me see you.’’ Her demands made him stop from leaving. 

‘‘You do not want to.’’ 

‘‘Yes, I do! I want to see the face of who I’m the guest of for the night.’’ Yuffie kept on pushing, his hesitation was clear with the first steps towards the flames that lit up the room. 

A gasp escaped her lips, as her eyes took in the beast in front of her. Standing on two legs without hunching over, Vincent could easily reach the seven feet five. He looked like the tales of werewolves and hellhounds Yuffie had read when she was a child, with his entire body covered in short, purpleish dark grey fur, and a wolf face. He was not snarling at her, growling or getting ready to pounce her. The top of his head was adorned with two white horns that curved almost in the shape of a heart and a long black mane with white tips. His left arm sported a golden clawed gauntlet and his feet were replaced with hind paws. His deep red eyes seemed like the only human trait he had left anymore; he lowered his face to look at her closer. 

She studied him as much as he was studying her, Yuffie did not give away any hint of fear of him, which increased his curiosity, that was only pulled back by his own hesitation to keep approaching. He traced his eyes from her brown eyes to her black hair, to her unusual clothing, soaked shoulders and face from the rain. 

‘‘The others will show you where you can stay,’’ Yuffie turned around, and found the entire group of spirits, who had been hiding in the shadows and walls, looking at them with nervousness from some, and excitement from the others. 

The long haired brunette, called Tifa, took Yuffie’s hand and guided her away from the hall, but the ninja could not look away from Vincent even if she wanted to. _How could such a fearsome creature exist? Why had he not attacked her like every other monster she had ever encountered?_ and more were the questions running through her head, but most of all she wondered, _why am I not running away?_. 

‘‘So, Yuffie, let me introduce you to everyone, okay?’’ Tifa held Yuffie closer and wrapped her arm around the girl’s shoulder, making her snap out of her thoughts. 

Yuffie met Cloud, Tifa’s childhood friend and Vincent’s best knight, Barret and Cid were the castle’s ground and air defense generals, respectively. Aeris and Tifa were the previous magic and fighting instructors appropiately, until the curse befell on Vincent and the castle. 

‘‘And well, I’d present you to Denzel and Marlene but they’re not-’’ Tifa was cut short by echoing giggles and laughter soon approaching them. The group turned their gaze to find the two children riding on top of a young orange lion-like animal, who had a biped black-and-white cat hanging from his tail, struggling to not be burned by the flame at the tip. The two children, a boy and a girl, eyed the young ninja. The boy stood up and approached Tifa, hugging her leg and hiding behind her. Tifa chuckled and brought him forward, getting on her knees and placing her hands on his little shoulders. 

‘‘Denzel, this is Yuffie, she is gonna be our guest tonight.’’ She reassured the kid, who tried to not let his shyness get in the way of his manners, as he walked up to shake Yuffie’s hand. She flashed him a soft smile, then felt another tiny hand tap her arm. 

‘‘Hello miss Yuffie, I’m Marlene!’’ The girl extended her hand to shake it, and Yuffie gladly returned the handshake. She eyed both kids, who shared a dirty brunette hair color, and differed in the eyes, Denzel having ocean blue orbs and Marlene had chocolate ones. 

‘‘Good to see you back, Nanaki,’’ Tifa pet the young lion, stroking his dark red mane gently as he smiled and laid down at her feet. ‘‘It sure takes a lot to tire those two out, doesn’t it?’’ 

‘‘You tell me! I’ve been dragged around like a rag doll…’’ The cat flopped to the ground and sighed. ‘‘He’s not wrong, but it’s not Cait Sith’s fault he can’t keep up even if he doesn’t have muscles that get tired.’’ Nanaki teased the cat, who shot him a glare back but couldn’t bother to stand up. 

Yuffie had watched the interaction and introduced herself to the new faces, she noticed their clothes and styles, they were not old like ancient times, but they all looked freshly dressed out of the inner city of Midgar. She saw Cloud and Tifa dressed in almost all black, him wearing a high-collared sleeveless, pants and boots, with two straps holding the giant sword at his back, while she was cladded in a black vest on top of a white top, red gloves, shorts under a skirt that extended at her back and tennis. She glanced at Aeris after, who wore a red jacket, a long pink dress that stopped before her ankles, brown boots and a light pink bow that kept her long hair back. 

She noticed how Cid was just dressed in a blue shirt with green pants, a brown bomber jacket tied around his waist and brown boots, as well as Barret was sporting a white jacket with his chest exposed, his right forearm completely replaced with heavy firearm, green pants as well, and black boots. Her eyes drifted towards the children then, who were dressed simple in comparison to the adults, Denzel had a faded brown shirt over dark brown shorts, and Marlene just had a pink bow and a white dress, which looked very similar to the dress Aeris was sporting. 

There was not much to say about Nanaki, he was not dressed to begin with, Yuffie couldn't pinpoint one specific species in him, other than a mostly lion appearance with certain wolf attitudes and was missing his right eye. His body was covered in short light orange fur, his red mane went from the his head down onto his back, and his tail was lit up in a small flame, the only accesory in him being a hawk's feather behind his ear. The talking, two-leg walking tuxedo cat who was named simply as Cait Sith by the lion, sported a funny tiny crown and a red cape over his shoulders, and made the young girl wonder if he was like the buffoon of the squad. 

Curiosity however, had sparked a question that she couldn’t hold back, after her eyes had gone through each of them carefully. ‘‘You mentioned a curse had fallen on the castle and everyone in it, why aren’t there more people inside? And why do you all look… normal?’’ 

A silence fell on the room just as hard as the ceiling could have, the tension rose a little as they all led their gaze away from Yuffie, and she wanted to slap herself for asking something so bluntly. 

‘‘Vincent’s curse is different from the rest of us, we cannot go past out of the castle’s territory…’’ Cloud took a step forward, his bright blue eyes seemed to darken, to Yuffie’s perspective. ‘‘There's no one left because we were the only ones inside when this happened, and we're nothing but spirits chained to the castle, that’s as much as we can tell you.’’ 

Yuffie nodded slightly and backed up a little, she mumbled an apology and asked if they could show her where she was going to stay, Tifa agreed and led her upstairs. Passing long halls with paintings of all kinds, nothing she could fully appreciate with the lasting guilt of the question, Yuffie let out a sigh, which Tifa took notice of. 

‘‘Don’t take it personally, we’ve all just been isolated for so long… It's not the easiest thing to deal with.’’ There was a longing sadness in Tifa’s voice. Yuffie felt bad for her, so she tried to move her pain away and focus on what she was most curious about; Vincent. Her inquiries of who Vincent was were not answered fully to her satisfaction, something the other woman did on purpose, in order to keep the girl interested in the lord of the castle. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Yuffie was left to be in the guest bedroom, Vincent’s appearance and story, or lack of, had sparked a need to know more about him, and everyone else, and how they had gotten to such state, _why don’t I ever remember that path being there as always? Surely I’d remember with how much I’d have been in that forest, right?_ She couldn't keep her mind from racing as she rested her bed on top of the fluffy pillow. 

Eventually, her restless mind was overcome by her tired body and sleep won over her. Hiding under the warm sheets, she shut her eyes and drifted into a deep slumber, determined to not leave until all her questions were answered. _Certainly, it can’t be a worse decision than going back to her father_, was the last thing she thought for the night. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not everything works out as beautifully as we might want...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer: I do not own FF7, or any of the characters here present. This is just a work for fun and I gain nothing from posting it.**

Vincent’s red irises wandered around his bedroom inside the furthest castle tower, his legs touched the cold ceramic floor, followed by the sheets that could barely cover 3/4ths of his body anymore. He opened his closet and wore the only thing that could fit him anymore, his usual set of black pants, a black shirt with a laced ruffle around the neck, and a wine red cape around his shoulders, that held itself together with a black ribbon, and was torn on the bottom from how much it had been dragged around, to the point he had to cut it, or more like rip it, off a little above floor level.

He looked through the curtains, passing by the clawed paintings and torn-apart belongings he had destroyed a few years prior, offering nothing to an insight on how he was or looked like before the curse. His gaze drawing away from the risen sun and onto the dampened territory, as the sky had spent the night raining down onto the land.

He sighed and headed out of his bedroom, making way to the main area. He passed by Aeris, who greeted him like every morning.

‘‘Has the woman left yet?’’ He asked, voice a little monotone. She took a few moments to answer, and he repeated his question. With a glint of fear and panic, she stuttered out ‘‘S-She hasn’t, Vincent…’’ and took a step back. His ears folded back and his fist clutched, _one night I said_, he repeated in his head over and over, his steps faster and no longer dragged around like a heavy weight on his shoulder.

‘‘Perhaps you should let her stay a little longer-’’

‘‘I was clear with what I said, _wasn’t I?_’’ His voice, though faked calmness, Aeris could tell was seething with anger, she stepped aside and out of his way, staying behind with no idea on what to do now.

Yuffie had woken up earlier to try and talk with the others, she had only been able to locate Tifa, who was busy tending to the castle along with Barret and the kids, and just had wandering down the halls left to do, when Vincent’s towering figure spun her around from behind.

She could feel his hot breath coming out of his scrunched-up snout, his anger had partially diminished by the time he got to her after spending a few minutes tracking her down the huge castle, but what was left reflected on the eyes she could not turn away from.

‘‘I opened my home to you for one night, nothing more and nothing else..’’ He forced her to step backwards, and she almost lost her balance. She could track the way of his growling mixed with his voice, how it rose from the back of his throat and came out his mouth, teeth almost bared out with each word he spoke.

‘‘I-I know you said that, but-’’

‘‘Quiet.’’ He cornered and shushed her, for the first time in her life she felt a real threat by someone asking her to shut her mouth. He moved away, his cape following along as his back faced her.

‘‘Gather your things and go, I will seek you out by the time the sun hits the highest point… If you are not gone by then, there will be consequences.’’ His calmness had truly returned, but his threat still felt very real. A cold sweat ran down her neck and chest as he walked away, leaving her shaking and on her knees.

She clutched her chest to let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding and felt Aeris’ soft hands caress her shoulder to help her up. ‘‘Please, don’t hate him…’’ She pleaded to the girl, whose color was still returning to her face as she composed herself.

‘‘Vincent has just gone through so much; it was even surprising he let you stay at all.’’ Aeris continued, Yuffie felt like inquiring more about it, and her eyes gave it away. Aeris sighed ''I'll tell you in the bedroom you slept in, not here, just go and start packing your things while you wait for me.'' She explained. Yuffie understood the need of secrecy and headed back to her bedroom, down the long halls and up the circular stairs.

After an hour had passed, Yuffie had managed to gather most of her things again, which had previously laid scattered all over the bed and ground. She had not taken an ounce of food that was not offered or given, and she wasn’t even daring to touch anything after Vincent's almost-lash out, other than sit in the bed patiently.

The door creaked open and Aeris slipped in, shutting it close carefully as she sat next to Yuffie. ‘‘Do you still wish to know?’’ She whispered as she sat down, the young woman nodded and the magician brought out from her pockets a few of her instruments, that helped her cast a type of thick cloud of smoke, which remained still on their eye level.

Aeris began the story, with a younger Vincent pictured on the smoke like it was a mirror, however his face blurred and darkened out, there being no trace of how he looked, how his face was shaped, nothing to make sense of at all, which disheartened Yuffie a little, she had to admit.

Her voice retold of how he was once the son of two wealthy aristocrats, who had become rich over inheritance and the family business of weapon crafting, _no business like war_, they would repeat like a broken record. Their life was filled with luxury and opulence, and like every family of his kind, this showed not just in their actions, but in their home and their personalities. Balls and dances were often in their night plans, drinking with their clients and fellow rich families, the only times they swapped their acidic and dry business personalities for that of smiling, warm party-lovers.__

_ __ _

_ __ _

‘‘It all came to an end a few years ago, though..’’ Her fingers trembled, and Yuffie caressed Aeris’ back, nodding as if to let her know it was okay to go on. She took a deep breath and both watched as the smoke turned darker in front of their eyes. A night like usual, she remembered how Vincent’s eyes had locked on a beautiful woman, with fair skin, long, flowing brown hair and eyes of the same depth.

‘‘Her name was Lucrecia, and she soon became the object of his affection, and he became the object of hers. They kept it a secret from everyone except for Vincent’s closest friend, Cloud.’’

‘‘And.. what happened after?’’ Yuffie moved her eyes from the figures to Aeris, who swished her hands to show what demise had brought the curse on them.

‘‘Her parents married her off to another man, his name was Hojo, and he was, in secret, an user of the forbidden magic,’’ Her fist balled up and her nails dug into her skin enough to leave a mark on her palms, she despised the man not just for what he was, but for what he did. ‘‘Vincent tried to confront him, to challenge him for her hand, but it was too late, for she was carrying Hojo’s child..’’

Yuffie’s eyes teared up, an intruding sadness overflowing her heart with a hint of the pain he must have felt back then. ‘‘Hojo took the chance and struck his heart, not with a sword to leave him to die, but with a curse to affect him and those he claimed to love.’’

‘‘So, you and the others?...’’ Aeris nodded to Yuffie’s question. ‘‘But what happened to his parents? Where are they?’’

‘‘They were not affected by the curse, it’s what happens when you barely pay attention to your own son, so they abandoned him and all of us inside the castle, they were never that good to begin with, but that was the nail in the coffin for him.’’

Aeris made the smoke disappear and Yuffie wiped the tears off the corner of her eyes, standing up with her bag strapped across her chest. ‘‘Where are you heading now, Yuffie?’’ She asked.

‘‘If Vincent doesn’t want me in his home, then I’ll head to the other side of the forest, I know how my father is and it will take at least a few more weeks before he stops looking for me.’’ She opened the door and Aeris followed behind, the sun was about to hit its highest point and it signaled how her time there was ending.

She said farewell and wished them their best on breaking the curse, she was left with many more questions that could not be answered in the very short time she spent there. Her eyes trailed up from the doors to a balcony near the side, where she could see Vincent looking down at her. He wanted to make sure she would abide by their deal; he could tell she was smart enough to not risk testing a threat as seemingly violent as he had made his seem. He did not plan to carry that out really, but he had to act like he would and once he couldn’t see her past the trees and bushes, he turned back inside.

‘‘You know she could die out there, Vincent.’’ Cloud was waiting for him outside his bedroom, his sword strapped against his back as he followed the beast down the flight of stairs.

‘‘She won’t, she’s strong and capable of fighting off any threat. Don’t try to guilt trip me into allowing her back inside.’’ Cloud frowned at his friend’s reply, he hurried down and blocked his way.

‘‘And what about when winter comes?’’ He was now confronting him face-front, Vincent’s looked away and walked past the blond, hitting his shoulder in the way.

‘‘I’m not responsible for what happens anymore.’’ He said, trying to convince himself more than he was trying to convince Cloud, really. He knew well what happened last time he had let someone in his home like that, _I will not fall for such a thing anymore_, he thought.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

‘‘If he wants to be alone so much let him be’’ Yuffie told herself as she jumped over a fallen tree, her eyes scanning the more familiar territory in contrast with the castle.

_I can make by my own, it’s not like I haven’t done it before_, she kept reminding herself, repeating it over and over in her head, the cold gale trying to blow her cape away. She couldn’t stop thinking about them though, their faces filled with hope even if it had been for just a few seconds, it was obvious they had thought she could break the curse, _but how could I have done that?_, she wondered, it’s not like they bothered to tell her if there was a way for her to do so, she was not magically powerful like Aeris, and she doubted attacking or fighting Vincent would have helped at all. _Do they even know how to break it?_

A thunder struck down a tree not far from her, it was not going to catch on fire thanks to the rainy night, but it was a clear signal another storm was quickly to catch up to her. It made sense for the season, but it did not ease her thoughts one bit. 

‘‘I hope I can find a cave or a den s-soon..’’ A shiver ran down her spine, and her figure disappeared between the trees, looking for shelter still.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ... but some things do work out in our favor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer: I do not own FF7, or any of the characters here present. This is just a work for fun and I gain nothing from posting it.**

It had been weeks, the first snow of the season had fallen, and Godo couldn’t find a trace of his daughter anywhere. No matter how many guards or seekers he sent out, it seemed like she had disappeared over the face of Gaia, and Don Corneo, who faked every ounce of sympathy towards the father’s worries, had decided to join the man in her search.

‘‘What if something happened to her and that’s why we haven’t found her? What if she was mauled or worse?!’’ Corneo watched as the older man paced around the room, he had bags under his deep grey eyes, his face looked thinner, and his nervousness had even made him forget about dying his hair black, as he could see the white roots from his age.

‘‘You always mentioned how your daughter was reckless and all, Godo, she’s probably just hiding and thinking about coming back crawling to you.’’ He reassured the older man, who sighed and sat down, he did not believe that at all.

Corneo frowned a little, it was obvious to anyone who thought for more than one second, that he was not helping him out of the goodness of his heart. He was known to be possessive with what he considered his, and that extended to his wives and lovers. But poor Godo was too deep in his worries and stress to think much through.

‘‘Don’t worry, I know of a man that would be able to track her down in no time, all for a friend so I’ll take care of the cost,’’ He patted Godo’s back, and a sly smile crossed his face.

‘‘I don’t know how to thank you any more, if there is something you ever need, don’t hesitate to ask that of me..’’

‘‘It’s all okay, I will think of that later,’’ He chuckled and stood up. ‘‘Let me present you to him, first. Hey boy!’’

‘‘I heard you without having to yell’’ A young man walked in, and Godo lifted his gaze to look at him better. He had long spiky hair slicked back except for a strand that fell on his face, his blue eyes were tainted green around the slit pupils, and despite this his very presence felt calming, soothing even, for the older man.

‘‘My name is Zack, Mr. Kisaragi. Zack Fair.’’ He extended his gloved hand, and Godo took it to shake it. ‘‘Don’t worry sir, I’m sure I can find your daughter in no time, and I will bring her back safe and sound.’’

‘‘Please, young man… I beg that you do…’’ Godo’s plead made Zack pity him, and he flashed him a smile before heading out, his long sword strapped around his back like a symbol of hope for the father.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Down the valley and onto the forest, the first snow was a sign of scarce food, monsters and predators who didn’t hibernate had either moved lands or were hungrier than ever, and the latter was not any convenient for Yuffie. She had spent these past few weeks scavenging for food, and barely heading out of the cave she had found shelter in, snow could easily give away your position, if it didn’t give you frostbite first.

But her supplies were running short, fire materia was not enough to keep her warm, she couldn’t _just_ stay warm if she wanted to survive the winter, she needed energy to thrive and well, to stay alive, as well as a good water resource, since the river was pretty much frozen by now.

She wanted to move out of the forest, but her father’s seekers were constantly on the look out at the borders, they knew her well enough to constantly change the shifts and patrol areas, and thus she had not made any advances on a strategy to go past them.

‘‘F-Fuck! I don’t have a choice; I need to head out or I’ll starve tonight!’’ She reached and clutched her shuriken in her hands, adding more layers to her outfit as she stepped out of the cave.

On the other side of the woods, Vincent and the others were steadily getting by. Spirits did not have to feed, thus not needing to eat or drink, but the gates had to remain closed as they knew well monsters would abound in this season.

‘‘Has Nanaki returned yet?’’ Tifa asked, everyone shrugged or shook their heads, as all except for Vincent rested in front of the fireplace. Barret kept his daughter cuddled up close as she was rocked to sleep, Cloud kept Denzel entertained, and Cid just laid across the couch with Cait Sith snoring and sleeping on the armrest. The young lion oversaw keeping the territory safe and, during winter season, report on what monsters approached in case there was something big to deal with. There never was, but precautions were still taken.

This time however, it was almost like fate was playing a cruel joke on them. The front doors creaked open, and the group lifted their gaze to see a blood dripping Nanaki stumbling his way inside. His fur was covered in snow and, falling to the ground, he was rushed inside and near the fire.

‘‘Nanaki! Someone get Aeris quick!’’ Tifa shouted and Cid lost no time in getting up to look for the brunette, Cloud and Barret took both kids away before they saw him in such conditions, Nanaki’s teeth were chattering, and his breathing was shallow and weak.

‘‘T-There’s a whole pack of kalmfangs coming from the south, they were too many for me..’’ His tail was moved to the bonfire, his flame was weak and he had many cuts all over his body.

‘‘The south?’’ Aeris rushed to heal him, and concern grew in her voice. ‘‘Nanaki, did you say the south?’’ Her voice rose and he gave her a slow nod, clutching his paws as his wounds closed thanks to her magic.

‘‘Why do you ask that? What is there on the south?’’

‘‘That’s where Yuffie was heading!’’ She shouted; their eyes widened in fear at the horrible realization that she was in danger. ‘‘But what can we do? We cannot head out of the castle!’’ Barret’s voice was loud enough to be heard down the halls, a few seconds of silence surrounded them, a knot growing in their stomachs.

‘‘But Vincent can,’’ Cloud muttered, everyone turned to him, unsure of what he said. ‘‘Vincent can head out of the castle, can’t he?!’’ They all quickly nodded, and turning on his heel, Cloud ran towards Vincent’s tower.

The beastly man was quietly watching outside from his window, he leaned forward a little and noticed the blood trail outside the front gate, he furrowed his brows and ran his clawed fingers through his hair to get it out of his face.

‘‘V-Vincent!’’ Cloud shouted, panting as he ran up the stairs and walked in on the bedroom. Vincent rushed to his friend and helped him up. ‘‘Cloud, what’s that blood out there, what happened?’’

‘‘Nanaki got attacked, a pack of kalmfangs ambushed him and nearly killed him..’’ He explained, and by the look of his eyes, Vincent could tell that was not all, ‘‘What else? They’re too far from the castle’s territory, what else is there with this pack?’’

‘‘They’re heading south, to where Yuffie ran to for shelter after you kicked her out.’’ Cloud walked closer, and Vincent turned to look at the window. ‘‘She could be in danger, we cannot go past the castle’s barrier and you know it, but you can help her out…’’

‘‘Don’t lie to me Cloud-’’

‘‘Have I ever lied to you, Vincent?’’ His voice snapped, Cloud’s blue eyes piercing through him like a dagger, as the guilt grew bigger in his chest, he slowly caressed the window frame.

‘‘Cloud, can you keep the others safe for a little while?’’

‘‘Rest assured, I will.’’ He pulled his sword out and both had their backs turned to the other, Vincent took a deep breath and jumped out his window, landing on the soft snow as he jumped over the gate, his huge steps widening as he ran down the path that lead into the forest.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Her lungs were burning with the cold air coming in, her tongue was dry, and she slowly crawled behind a set of rocks, the pack had spotted her mere moments ago, she counted fifteen as far as her eyes could see. She had the advantage of speed, but they greatly outnumbered her and could cover a larger terrain.

Her breathing steady and barely audible, she jumped above the rocks and sprinted further into the forest, the snarling and growling of over a dozen of those canine beasts following right behind. They tried to bite her ankles, and she avoided by jumping and changing directions.

_I can’t let up now_, a million thoughts ran through her head, snow and trees was all she could see, and she could feel the empty stomach gaining on her. Tears ran down her cheeks, _this can’t be it! Damn it! Fuck!_, Yuffie cursed the heavens and turned around, ready to fight them off or die trying, until a huge figure jumped over her and stood between her and the pack.

It did not take her much to realize it was Vincent, his huge figure was recognizable by miles. He stood up and took a step forward, snarling back at the monsters. The tension lasted for about five seconds, before the first of the pack jumped to attack him.

She watched in horror as the violent massacre began, Vincent swiping the monsters left and right, as their bodies hit the trees and ground hard, while others bit his arms and tried to bring him down by the cape. His sharp teeth tore through one of their necks as he bit down hard, his clawed glove allowed him some protection, but his howl of pain pierced through the night when one of their claws managed to dig in his right arm’s unprotected skin.

The brutality ended when he made them all back up, mouth dripping with the blood of the one whose neck he had bit open, the pack was now trembling and began running away, it was clear who had won.

‘‘Vincent? W-Why are you here?...’’ He wanted to answer, but his body crashed against the snow, right in front of where she sat regaining her breath. His red eyes locked with hers, his vision was turning black, exhausted and hurt, but he felt how her hands caressed his face, _such a tender touch…_, he thought.

Yuffie whispered her thanks as she picked him up, _I’m too tired to reach the castle… but I can make it to the cave_, she thought, his body felt heavier than she could carry, but she had to make it back. ‘‘Just hang on, I have what you need, j-just hold on a little longer.’’ She muttered and trailed her steps back, Vincent’s cape and her own dragging on the blood-stained snow.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Warmth… I can feel the warmth, a bonfire?_, He did not open his eyes yet, he knew his bedroom never felt that warm, and his bed was never as hard as where he was laying, but he did not feel uncomfortable at all.

_Are those… roasted berries?_, His nose picked the scent of food quickly, he opened one eye slowly, unsure of where he was. He spotted the entrance of a cave, and snow-covered ground, to his right. He shifted his gaze to the opposite direction and found Yuffie’s curious eyes studying him thoroughly.

‘‘Good morning!’’ She smiled a little, and he pulled back but flinched at a sudden pain, he saw bandages around his right arm, on his left leg and around his shoulder.

‘‘Woah hey, take it easy, that was a rough fight you were in!’’ Her comment made him remember, he had rushed in to save her, he couldn’t understand why he did so. He tried to blame in on the guilt he would have felt if she had gotten hurt or worse after he had kicked her out, instead of overthinking much about what else would have pushed him to run like that.

She could tell he was deep in thought, unsure of what to say, she grabbed a handful of the berries, crispy and juicy roasted berries, and put them in a handcrafted leaf plate, placing it down in front of him.

‘‘A-Ah, thank you..’’ He slowly sat up, and took the tiny plate in his hands, _why am I so tense?_, he thought, grabbing one and taking it to his mouth. They sat in awkward silence; the only sounds were those of the slight fruit chewing.

‘‘So… are you feeling better?’’

‘‘A little, yes..’’ He tried to meet her gaze, but her eyes were locked on the flames. ‘‘And you?’’

‘‘Oh? Oh yes, I’m okay thanks to you.’’ Her words felt as warm to him as the fire they sat close to. He couldn’t think back to the last time someone had helped him out that didn’t have to. He would give his life for Cloud and the others, true, but the small acts of kindness she had shown towards him felt different, a good different.

‘‘You never really mentioned why you ran away from your home.’’ She had gone quiet, placing the plate down, she pulled her legs to her chest and buried her face on her knees.

‘‘If you don’t want to tell me, that’s oka-’’

‘‘I don’t wanna be married off to some old fat creep.’’

Her answer was short and to the point. His heart softened a little, and he leaned down partially to listen to her.

As much as she tried to hold her tongue back, she vented and ranted for a few long minutes about her situation. Not dwelling much in it, Vincent learned about how she was to inherit a business she found no pleasure in from her father, about who he had also planned to give her hand to in marriage, without her knowledge or her consent.

‘‘Sorry, I know that was a lot to take in, I think I needed to get that off my chest, heh.’’ She scratched the back of her neck, and tried to laugh it off, like she usually would to cope with anything that worried her.

Vincent knew she was sincere with everything she confessed, not because she spoke without stuttering, which she didn’t, or because she didn’t seem affected and emotional, which she did seem. But her eyes, tainted golden with the flame’s reflection, were holding back nervous tears she had wiped.

‘‘But well, once you’re well enough, I think you can head back.’’

‘‘Once the snowstorm has passed, I’m doing so… and you can come with me, if you want.’’ He told her, and she quickly turned to him, her face lit up with glee.

‘‘Really?’’ He nodded. ‘‘No tricks or deals?’’ He shook his head. She pondered on his offer, there was nothing to lose, no better place to hide and she was tired of munching on plants, dug-up truffles and berries for the fifth week in a row.

‘‘Okay, I’ll come along with you, in case you need protection.’’ Her smirk and regained confidence got a very tiny smile out of him, a small one, but it was enough to make her feel like she had a little victory that night. It didn’t take long for her to fall asleep after that, and as he stayed up to stand guard, he thought _maybe this once, it won’t go all that bad_.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little closer is better than nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer: I do not own FF7, or any of the characters here present. This is just a work for fun and I gain nothing from posting it.**

The quietness of the fresh snow layer created a tranquil atmosphere, there were no tracks of the kalmfangs anymore, not like they’d dare to return after the previous night. The sun shone white rays onto the forest land and on the couple that quietly walked together. It was a little difficult for her to keep up with Vincent, he was physically bigger, the snow could barely reach past his ankles, while hers were practically buried a little below her calves.

‘‘Hurry up Yuffie, or we won’t make it before sunset.’’ He commanded, and she frowned, ticked off at his demand. She threw a snowball at his head, making him turn his gaze quick.

‘‘I’m _trying_, Vincent.’’ He realized the position she was in and felt a little embarrassed over his tone, as he saw how she was lifting her legs to her ribcage with every step she took. ‘‘I’m not exactly gigantic like you are!’’ She held onto a branch nearby and climbed on top of a rock. He hadn’t expected her to bark back like that. Even Cloud and Tifa, who were usually the sternest with him, would not raise their voice at all.

‘‘Okay Vinny, here’s the pla-’’

‘‘_Vinny?_’’ He was to protest, but she cut him off again. ‘‘Yes, Vinny is a lot better, anyway as I was saying, you just keep walking, I’ll just use the trees because it’s easier for me that way.’’ He watched her climb just as easy as one breathes.

‘‘You’re just showing off, aren’t you?’’ He looked up at her, she puffed her cheeks and blushed, looking away. ‘‘I’m not!’’

He rolled his eyes and kept walking, his ears picked up no sound as she jumped from tree to tree, the dried-up trunks offering a stable base without leaves to get in her way. _She’s showing off_, he thought as he walked by.

Picking up the pace, they reached the castle in no time. They pushed the gate open and, once inside, locked it shut. Vincent walked inside first, to find everyone awaiting his arrival. He stood aside and revealed Yuffie standing behind him, a smile crossed her face as she waved at the group. ‘‘Hey guys, it’s good to see you again.’’

Tifa and Aeris rushed to welcome her in, _you must be freezing_ and _I’m so glad you’re okay_ escaping their mouths. Vincent stepped aside, the first thing he caught was Cloud’s eyes reading through him.

‘‘You were starting to worry us,’’ He joked, Vincent huffed and looked away. The blond looked down to find the beast was bandaged up, and Vincent hid them the best he could with his cape. ‘‘She took care of you, didn’t she?’’

‘‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’’ His tone was cold like usual again. He walked past Cloud and headed upstairs, Yuffie wanted to go after him but felt a hand on her shoulder holding her back.

‘‘Let him be for now, Yuffie…’’ Tifa moved her back a bit and lead her to sit down with the rest. As much as they tried to dig in, she didn’t give much detail to what happened, she didn’t mention how she bandaged him or how he had even flashed her a smile, it did not feel okay to share that with them, at least Vincent wouldn’t do so, and she tried to respect that.

‘‘But, how did you guys know I was in danger?’’

‘‘Nanaki arrived here hurt and frozen, he found where they were heading, and Aeris remembered that’s where ya’ were.’’ Cid explained to the ninja, petting her head and messing her hair a little. ‘‘But then, is Nanaki alright?’’ She asked, fixing it back again.

‘‘Yeah, Marlene’s taking good care of me.’’ The lion walked in, carrying the little girl on his back as she braided his mane, he picked her up by the shirt and placed her on her father’s lap.

‘‘I’m actually surprised you survived out there, you’re tough for a scrawny lil’ thing, haha!’’ Barret teased the young girl, her face flushed pink as the others chuckled or laughed a little louder like him, but she did not feel mad at all, in fact, she laughed as well.

Tifa watched from the stairs, her fingers lacing with Cloud’s. ‘‘His mane is turning whiter, it’s not covering just the tips anymore, Tifa…’’

‘‘I’m sleeping less too, and I feel like we’re starting to age slower…’’ She silently rested her face on his shoulder. ‘‘Do you think Yuffie might break the curse at last?’’

He stared at her, his hand caressing her cheek as he pulled her closer. ‘‘Only time can tell, even if that’s not a privilege we can enjoy now… They will have to grow closer on their own.’’

‘‘So, going to Vincent so he would aid her is them growing closer on their own?’’ Cloud smirked, kissing Tifa’s forehead.

‘‘No, but hell knows who was going to make the first move, so I took the liberty to nudge destiny a little.’’ Tifa snorted, to Cloud's delight. He felt like kissing her again, but Vincent’s deep voice made them look back.

He coughed a little to get everyone’s attention, it was odd for him to have come back downstairs. Trying not to show hesitation, he said, ‘‘As per.. the victory of our territory, we’ll have a dinner tonight, to our new guest.’’

Everyone’s faces lit up with excitement, he caught Yuffie’s wide smile, clearly directed at him, along with a mouthed _thank you_. Cloud didn’t have a chance to tease Vincent more, he left too quick to give him that joy, because he knew very well the blond would not let him rest or forget that for at least a week.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Time had worn out their customs on the fancy side of dinners, and by the looks of it, it was going to be a humbler night, but it suited them better to Yuffie’s eyes. They exchanged stories of their living days, to Yuffie’s delight; adventures they had shared, how they all came to be part of the castle and so forth.

‘‘So you’re telling me, the only one married out of all of you is Cid? How is that possible?!’’ Their collective laughter echoed through the halls, especially Barrett’s and Cait Sith’s.

‘‘Ey’! I wouldn’t be the only one if Cloud and Tifa would hurry up!’’ The mentioned turned bright red, although Tifa carried Cloud’s ring on her finger, there had never been anything official when it came to ceremonies.

‘‘The best love story is Aeris’ though, c’mon tell her!’’ Tifa tried to shift the focus, Aeris’ cheeks turned pink, and after a lot of insistence, she sighed and sheepishly agreed.

‘‘He was a warrior in training while I was beginning as a magician; we weren’t older than sixteen. He would visit me in secret every day, bringing me flowers and we’d escape often to a lake near his house..’’ Her tone was dreamy, to Yuffie it was obvious those memories were as vivid as they could be, making her a little flustered.

‘‘We were both heading down different paths in life, but we made a promise that if we ever saw each other again and we weren’t married to someone else, we wouldn’t let anything stand in our way.’’ Her fingers caressed the pink ribbon that held her hair back in a high ponytail.

‘‘He gave me this ribbon to keep his promise.’’

‘‘And what did you give him?’’

‘‘A girl never kisses and tells.’’ Aeris winked, and the others exploded in a sea of _Ohh!’s_ and _Aww’s_.

‘‘Seems like everyone’s having fun tonight.’’ Vincent walked in, approaching the table but with no intent to sit down.

‘‘You bet! I haven’t had this much fun in months!’’ Yuffie stood up and tried to get him to sit, he stiffened a little and shook his head. ‘‘I’m not joining the table tonight, Yuffie..’’ 

‘‘Why not? C’mon it’s-’’

He pulled his hand back and shook his head, leaving as quick as he had arrived. The group tried to bring Yuffie back and tell her that’s just how he was, but she wasn’t going to leave him alone this time. Taking a plate and filling it with food, she thanked them for the meal and followed him, to their dismay. 

Her footsteps traced his up the stairs that lead to Vincent’s tower. She found his bedroom in no time, taking a deep breath, she knocked on his door, to his surprise. He approached it carefully and asked who it was.

‘‘It’s me, Yuffie. I brought you food, can you open?’’ He hesitated, _I don’t want her to see the wreck_, he thought. Opening just enough for her to look him in the eyes, he glanced outside. She was holding a porcelain plate with a cut of the meat, a small portion of the salad and a tiny square of the chocolate mousse that was prepared.

‘‘You know I’m not joining the table, Yuffie.’’ He tried to close the door but she didn’t let him, her leg sticking on the small space between the door and the wall.

‘‘I know _you_ know you’ve only eaten roasted berries these last 24 hours, so open or come out and… please eat?’’ His heart skipped several beats when she gave him a good pair of puppy eyes. 

He sighed and got out of his solace, sitting down in front of the girl; she had brought her own plate in case she had to bribe him more, and utensils for both. 

‘‘I saw you laughing and enjoying yourself with the others, why would you come to be with me?’’ In his head, he could not understand why anyone would seek him out, especially for something as mundane and common as a dinner.

‘‘Because I wanna enjoy myself with you too, I don’t care what you say or how broody and moody you are, you saved me and the least I can do for you is not let you hide, dwell and rot inside your bedroom all day long.’’

If he had visible skin, his face would have turned as red as his cape, but he didn’t have to do that for her to notice that slowly, but surely, she was making advances with him. They sat on the floor and enjoyed their warm meal in a pleasant silence.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

‘‘Any news on the girl, Zack?’’ Don Corneo leaned back on his chair; his black eyes focused on the new painting of himself he was hanging on his wall.

‘‘There’s definite proof Yuffie hasn’t left the forest down the valley.’’ Corneo raised an eyebrow, shifting his gaze to the warrior. ‘‘A pack of kalmfangs was spotted heading out the south, they seemed to be running away with fear, and it was clear they had been in a fight.’’

‘‘Were the wounds not caused by another monster?’’ Zack shook his head at the question, leaning against the wall as his fingers fiddled with a pencil.

‘‘No chance, the cuts were clean, but one of their bodies was retrieved, the specimen’s neck was torn open in half, which was a clear sign of a monster’s attack.’’

‘‘Cut it short, boy, I’m a busy man.’’ Corneo glared at the young man, who remained unfazed as he shrugged and walked up to him. ‘‘I’m sure the reason she hasn’t left is because she’s trapped, but I’m sure she’s not dead. We’re gonna have to wait for the snow to clear if we wish to have any chance to retrieve her, or whatever’s left of her.’’

‘‘Very well, you’re dismissed.’’ He shooed him away, Zack frowned and left the room, he was starting to be unsure if he should continue the mission, he was already paid half of it, so he had no choice but to finish it, even if it took him months for a chance to find her inside the forest again.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is always something there we never saw before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer: I do not own FF7, or any of the characters here present. This is just a work for fun and I gain nothing from posting it.**

The winter days were slowly passing by, the days got colder but the castle was more active than ever. The kids were happy to have someone new to play in, Yuffie would be constantly taken around to play, and if she wasn’t doing that, she was growing closer with the rest of the gang. But as much as she tried to do the same with Vincent it was not as easy as she imagined.

A snowstorm had fallen the night before, _last one was two weeks ago_, Yuffie thought as she put her winter boots to head outside, thinking of the day she got back to the castle. Morning strolls were in order every morning, but to her surprise, when she looked out the window to check if the weather was good enough to head out, she spotted Vincent strolling by the frozen lake a little further down the castle’s gated area.

She smiled and headed down quickly to join him. He picked up her light footsteps as she rushed downhill, stepping aside right in time to watch Yuffie’s attempt to surprise him fail miserably. She fell back-first on a snow bank, her laughter filling the morning air as Vincent extended one hand to help her back up.

‘‘Those ears of yours make you no fun,’’ She stuck her tongue at him, happy and gleeful to see him out of his bedroom again for something other than food for dinner. ‘‘What made you step out of your creepy cave, Vinny?’’

‘‘Well, it’s a beautiful morning,’’ He clutched his cape a little and closed it more to stay warm. ‘‘And I’m sure I told you not to call me that.’’ His tone was not demanding, but humorous instead.

‘‘You said to not do that in front of the others, and it’s just you and me now, _Vi-nny_.’’ She put more emphasis in his nickname, he turned away to hide a smile from her, but looked around to meet her gaze.

‘‘I’ve seen you playing a lot with Denzel and Marlene, I’m surprised you can keep up with them.’’ He walked across the bridge, Yuffie shrugged as she remained by his side. ‘‘I have as much energy as them, plus Nanaki still needs to finish recovering from his wounds…’’ She looked away to the rising sun, he could tell her smile was fading into calmness, and her furrowed eyebrows gave away she had more to say.

‘‘What’s wrong?’’ He stepped closer, daring to inquire more in her head. A sigh escaped her lips as she looked over at him.

‘‘Don’t tell the others but.. I wish there was something else to do around here.’’ She stretched and blew hot air into her hands, even with the gloves on she was still struggling to keep warm. 

Vincent pondered on her words, it wasn’t possible to step out of the forest without being spotted by a wutaian guard, and monsters didn’t abound around his territory, so hunting or training was short on resources. 

‘‘Well, I don’t know if it’s your thing, but the castle does have a huge library-’’

‘‘Really?!’’ She stepped in front of him, he moved back at how, suddenly, they were less than two feet apart. All of her excitement from minutes ago had returned, and admittedly, it was both adorable and scary how quick her mood changed; he internally thanked his cape for hiding how his back fur was standing alert.

‘‘I can take you there this evening, if you want.’’ Her glee was barely contained as she nodded over and over, her hands shook his arm and she wouldn’t stop repeating the words _thank you!_. Her days there were good, she couldn’t complain, but it could soon become boring to a young woman full of curiosity like herself.

While they strolled around the frozen lake surrounded by snow, their casual conversation keeping their ears busy, the rest of the crew watched from the windows. 

‘‘And you guys thought those two wouldn’t come around!’’ Barret smirked; he was already claiming these exchanges as small victories, the kids sitting on his shoulders to look over the window.

‘‘Ya’ think they’re gonna kiss soon?’’ Cid received a rough elbowing from Tifa, who frowned a little at his comment.

‘‘Give them time! True love doesn’t develop in a matter of weeks, and we still have around 3 months before winter is gone.’’ Tifa moved back as Cid rubbed his arm, shooting her a glare.

‘‘Vincent’s really made a lot of progress though,’’ Nanaki stood on his back legs to look outside with the rest, a smirk also crossing his face. ‘‘He tries to hide it but we all agree he pins hard for Yuffie, right?’’

His question was met with plenty of nodding heads, along with muffled chuckles and smiles. Vincent was the happiest he had been in years, and they could tell so easily; he no longer spent his days locked away, wandering the halls on his own in no light. Instead, he’d always find Yuffie by his side, even if it was for a short while; she’d talk about everything and anything to him, he’d simply listen intently, content.

They’d joke, he would go along with her playful acts like earlier when she tried to pounce on him. _I never thought I could feel like this again_, Vincent would often think, smiling a little as they began to head back inside to the warmth.

‘‘So, you’ll come to seek me to show me the library later?’’ Her question made him mentally trace the way back to the library, it had been months since his last visit, as he could recall.

‘‘Of course, and I’ll give you a shortcut if you do one thing for me.’’ Red eyes met brown ones, her head tilted and one eyebrow raised.

‘‘Promise to give it a good use with me, there’s still many books I haven’t read yet.’’

‘‘How come?’’ Once she asked, he lifted his hands to show it to her, she let out a soft oh as she understood that he couldn’t handle books around as easily with a set of giant, clawed wolf-like hands. She laughed but agreed to keep that promise.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The warmth of the chimney was soon enveloping her again. The tiny flecks of snow melting on her hair; thoughts were running all over her head, wondering what books the castle held and was home to, her excitement only growing by the minute.

Before she could notice, the sky was colored orange and pink, the sun gently setting on the horizon; Vincent’s gentle touch let her know he was ready, too.

Little did she know, there was a reason he had waited till the evening to show her the library, a reason apart to him figuring the way there again. Keeping her eyes covered as he opened the door for them, he guided her to the heart of the library. Yuffie could hear shifting, her curiosity grew and her chest felt like it was to burst. ‘‘You may open them now.’’

She did not need to be told that a second time, her hands lowered from her face, followed by her jaw. The setting sun shone right through the windows from the middle of the crescent-moon shaped room, tainting it with pink and orange shadows as the cherry wood shelves extended all the way up to the ceiling.

She had never seen a collection as huge as the one he held, and he had never seen anyone’s eyes shine brighter than the sun itself. It seemed like the stars of the darkening sky and pink hues of the fading brightness had been caught in her stare; brown eyes filled with all the wonder and marvel the world held.

‘‘Do you like it?’’ His question came out in a soft hush, standing against the open doors, his hand left the knob as he walked towards her.

‘‘I love it!’’ Her voice echoed through the halls; his smile spread more to match hers. ‘‘Then it’s yours too,’’ She shook her head in disbelief, _Did I hear him right?_, she thought and opened her mouth to protest, but before she could deny the gift, he interrupted her.

‘‘And I won’t take a ‘no’ for an answer this time, you will take it and enjoy it, alright?’’ He took her delicate hands into his, and their gaze met for a moment. There was a certain warmth reflected in his wine-red irises, she had not noticed it before, and wondered if it was even there weeks ago when they first met.

With no hesitation, she wrapped her arms around him tight. His eyes widened, but he did not push her away to his own surprise. He lowered himself to hug her back, his hand on her back to keep her steady while he towered over her small frame, closing his eyes to the tenderness of her hug.

The solitude allowed for them to dwell on the hug a little longer, eventually pulling back as she did not want him to notice how her heart was beating faster than the planet was spinning. Their afternoon was spent picking books to read for the weeks to come, the smile never fading from her face for the rest of the day, not when she was rolling around in the giant stairs to reach higher shelves or when her eyes showed how worn out and tired she was, happy nonetheless as she fell asleep on her bed.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

‘‘Seeker, what have you found so far?’’ Zack’s green and blue orbs scanned from above the high tower that allowed an insight at a portion of the forest, with the rest of it hidden behind the valley and mountain-path to Wutai.

‘‘I believe I might have caught sight of a man-made path; we don’t know where it leads yet, but if it holds some type of shelter along the way, then Miss Kisaragi is most likely to be there, or at least it could lead us to her.’’ The masked woman reported, standing a few good feet behind him.

‘‘And how is Sir Godo?’’ 

‘‘He is getting sicker every day; the stress and worries are taking a toll on him…’’ Her tone made the night seem darker than usual, with no stars visible under the wutaian sky.

Zack remained quiet as he eyed the reporter, he gave her a sign of dismissal, and her figure vanished in the shadows. A sigh escaped his lips, wishing for the older man to hold up just a little longer, until they could found Yuffie. He knew well Corneo was not being kind with him at all, acting more like a leech, but Zack knew better not to meddle in problems that weren’t his own.

_Just another task_, he repeated to keep himself sane, _just another mission and another paycheck_.


End file.
